1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reflection type image forming optical system having a large angle of view.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to the conventional method of forming an image of wide field by the use of a reflecting system, as is shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a virtual image of a body has been formed by a convex reflecting mirror M1 and focused by a refraction type optical system L which has corrected aberrations in itself. With such method, however, in order to reduce the influence imparted to the focused image by the astigmatism created by the convex reflecting mirror M1, the disturbance of the image caused by the astigmatism resulting from the convex reflecting mirror M1 must be confined within the depth of field of the refraction type optical system L as by reducing the opening of the refraction type optical system or increasing the distance between the virtual image formed by the convex mirror M1 and the refraction type optical system L. Thus, in order to provide a desired image formation without increasing the F-number of the entire image forming optical system, the convex mirror M1 is necessarily very bulky. In addition, the center of the field is shadowed by a refraction type optical system and, as a result, observation of the object body is difficult. Also, the use of the refraction type optical system has caused absorption so great for light having short wave length, for example ultraviolet light and the like (less than 350 mu), that the system is inadequate for light of this kind.